⊸ News ⋅ By Emily Kulich
Published at 11:46pm on Sunday 20 July 2025

HURSTBRIDGE and Mernda line trains have returned to the tracks after a derailment saw services suspended for a week.

A train struck overhead wire stanchions and derailed near Clifton Hill Station last Sunday evening. Buses replaced trains on all services for a week while investigations and repairs were carried out.

Metro Trains had stated regular services would resume from tomorrow morning, but PTV announced trains would return this evening. The PTV website now notes services are operating as normal.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which has begun an investigation into the derailment, has stated the incident caused “substantial damage to the overhead infrastructure” and “significant damage” to about 100 metres of track and a train carriage.

Above: bus replacement directions remained in place on Sunday night, even after trains returned to tracks. Top: a Metro Trains service running as-normal in Northcote tonight.

Nobody was injured as a result of the derailment.

ATSB investigators will release a preliminary report summarising facts in “about two months”, with a final report providing analysis being released some time after that.

The Department of Transport has told media it is confident the track is safe, but neither the DoT nor Metro have explained what happened.

The ATSB has stated it will notify relevant parties should its investigations uncover any critical safety issues prior to release of any reports.

Morning peak commuters in Darebin narrowly avoided a double-whammy of service disruptions during the week when “operation issues” saw Yarra Trams redirect Route 86 trams off High Street early on Tuesday.

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